Crumar

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Crumar T2 Organizer drawbar organ
Crumar Spirit analog synthesizer
Crumar Bit One polyphonic synthesizer using DCO

Crumar was an Italian electronic musical instrument manufacturer established by Mario Crucianelli in 1970s,[1] which manufactured synthesizers and keyboards during 70s and 80s. Its name stands for "CRUcianelli and MARchetti", the name of founder Crucianelli and a partner Marchetti.[1]

Crumar started out manufacturing electronic pianos and string synthesizers, famous with the names of Compac-piano (1972/1973), Compac-string (1973), and then Pianoman (1974) and Stringman (1974) combining the two in 1975 with the Multiman, and in 1977 with the Multiman-S.[1] Also Crumar factory is known for good "hammond-clone" organs made in the 70's and 80's like the Organizer (1974), Organizer T1 (1978) and T1/C (1981), T2 (1978), T3 (1981),[1] Organizer - B, Cougar.[citation needed]

In 1978, Crumar released their first full-fledged synthesizer with innovative features, Crumar DS-2 which had one of the earliest Digital controller oscillators (DCO).[2] Crumar synthesizers are comparable and contemporaneous to Moog synthesizers and other analog synthesizers. In fact, Crumar Spirit synthesizer in 1983 was originally designed by Bob Moog himself, along with Jim Scott (co-designer of minimoog) & Tom Rhea (who wrote manuals of Moog synthesizers).[3] In 1984,[1] they started producing polyphonic synthesizer using DCO under the name of Bit, which were marketed in the US under the name Unique.[3]

In the early '80's, Crumar formed a design/distribution collaborative with the New York-based Music Technology (MT) in an effort to commercialize the Bell Labs' Alles Machine. Crumar and the MT designers worked in conjunction with some respected names in electronic music to produce the GDS (General Development System)[4] in 1980, and the Synergy[5] in 1981. These leviathans, which used additive synthesis technology and phase modulation, were bulky and cumbersome, but they were state-of-the-art in 1981. This enormous project together with the growing up of Japanese manufactured (one for all, Yamaha with DX7) were some of the causes of the getting out of business of CRUMAR.

Crumar ceased trading in 1987, just as they were about to launch a high-quality sampler at the lower end of the market.

Keyboardist Derek Sherinian records with a Multiman-S. Space Jazz musician Sun Ra occasionally played the Crumar DS-2. Keyboardist Nick Rhodes from Duran Duran used the Crumar Performer. The Crumar Performer was known for having a string section that could almost beat the more expensive ARP. Pioneering electronic musician Klaus Schulze used several Crumar instruments over his career, particularly around the time of the albums "Timewind" and "Moondawn"; the album "Dig It" heavily features the Crumar GDS.[6]

In 2008 the brand CRUMAR was acquired by a new italian company that started to produce electronic musical instruments and keyboards under the original name of CRUMAR: at the 2008 edition of Frankfurt Musikmesse they presented a digital piano under the name of "Baby Grand" that seems the first model of the new Crumar production. Later they produced other musical instruments like "bassman" a 13 notes bass synth and in 2011 a clonewheel organ named "Mojo".

  • Crumar T2 Organizer

  • Crumar T2 Organizer

  • Crumar keyboard

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Bassi, Enrico (2005/2007), Crumar Museum (in Italian), archived from the original on October 3, 2011, retrieved 3 January 2014 
  2. ↑ Bassi, Enrico. "Crumar DS-2 Reverse Engineering" (in Italian). Ebax Sinthy Production. Archived from the original on 29 February 2012. Retrieved 3 January 2014. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Reid, Gordon (2001), "Spiritual Enlightenment – Crumar Spirit Analogue Monosynth (retro)", Sound On Sound (July 2001) 
  4. ↑ "CRUMAR/DKI GDS SYSTEM & SYNERGY", Synthony.com, retrieved 2014-01-01 
  5. ↑ Aaron Lanterman, Digital Keyboards Synergy Preservation Page, retrieved 2014-01-01 
  6. ↑ Mueller, Klaus D. "Klaus Schulze's Instruments". Klaus D. Mueller. Retrieved 3 January 2014. 

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